For slain Mendota Heights officer, strangers raise thousands

Adam Bongard didn't know slain Mendota Heights police officer Scott Patrick, but that didn't stop him from creating an online fundraiser that is raising thousands for the family.

"The guy gave his life in a completely senseless tragedy," said Bongard, 31, of St. Cloud, Minn. "We've never met these folks. It doesn't mean we can't help."

As of Friday morning, the fundraiser on the GoFundMe site -- at gofundme.com/ccqr1s -- had amassed more than $27,000 from nearly 700 people in less than two days.

"We're as shocked as anyone else," Bongard said.

GoFundMe is a fundraising site for personal causes, charities and life events.

A screenshot of the GoFundMe fundraising page late Friday morning.

The fundraiser is not associated with any official police organization or the Patrick family itself.

Bongard and friend Matt Meehan are organizers of Minnesota Chive, a group focused on "throwing meetups" and charity events for a range of causes, according to the Facebook group.

There are loose Chive affiliations nationwide. Bongard said his group is "pretty big" on fundraising for police officers, firefighters, soldiers and other public servants.

Bongard, who works as a sales representative for G&K Services in Minnetonka, said neither the group nor its organizers are making any money from the drive.

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Later, the online fundraiser said it would direct all proceeds to the official Scott Patrick Memorial Fund established at Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union. Donations to that fund can be made in person at any Affinity Plus branch, by phone at 651-291-3700 or through the mail at 175 W. Lafayette Frontage Road, St. Paul, MN 55107.

Meanwhile, a public campaign launched by the Heroes Memorial Foundation called "Lights on for Officer Scott Patrick" urges people to keep their porch lights on in memory of the slain Mendota Heights police officer.